1 The Continuing Religious Education of the Clergy within the Church of England with Specific Reference to the Diocese of London. John Kevin Eastell Thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the University of London Institute of Education 1992 2 Thesis Abstract The basic questions addressed by the thesis are concerned with the nature of the ordained ministry of the Church of England as it approaches the twenty first century and what educational provisions are required to prepare and sustain that ministry. Following an introduction, which outlines in detail the methodology of the thesis and the specific terms of reference for the study, the various strands which suggest the constants of ministerial being and function are traced from the New Testament evidence through Church History. The exploration identifies the influences which shaped the ordained ministry and provided it with variable roles and identity within its changing historical context. The specific terms of its being and the functions of oversight, pastoralia and teaching were retained as traditional constants within ministerial formation. The New Testament evidence gives attention to the relationship between discipleship and the Rabbinical teaching tradition as the basis for Apostolic ministry. The emerging structure of ministerial forms is identified by comparing the earliest with the latest of the New Testament documents. The investigation into Church History isolates three periods which are considered to be germane to the study. The first is the rise of Christianity within the multi-racial, cultural and religious Roman world. The second period looks at the medieval Church in England and how it educationally managed its resources in terms of its personnel and parochial provision. Thirdly, the study looks at the Victorian Church as an example of how ministerial change was organised and as the Church which left the present Church of England its immediate legacy. The thesis then examines the current provision of theological preparation for the ordained ministry which is offered in the residential theological colleges and non-residential training courses. A critique of this provision is offered along with an analysis of the educational features which can be found within it. The investigation continues with an examination of post-ordination training and continuing ministerial education. In the concluding chapter, a summary is provided about the main findings of the thesis and the principles of educational reform are identified. This leads to the construction of a new pattern of educational training for and within ministry based upon a continuum principle and one that is related closely to the changing parochial context. 3 LIST OF CONTENTS Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION:AN ORDERED MINISTRY 7 Time for a change 7 Problems for the ordained ministry 9 What are the findings of the Reports? 10 Methodology: Ministry in transition 16 Historical Perspective 17 Biblical Perspective 19 An integrated educational approach 21 The Diocese of London 22 Chapter 2. MINISTERIAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 26 The Rabbinical Tradition 26 Education and Discipleship 30 From Disciples to Apostles 35 Educational insights in Thessalonians 37 Educational evidence in the Pastoral Epistles 42 The Curriculum of the late first century 48 Chapter 3. MINISTERIAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE EARLY CHURCH 53 The Period from the first to the fourth century 53 Secular Education in Imperial Rome 53 The relationship between secular and Christian Education 56 Educational Provision in the early Church 57 Emergent concepts of official Ministry 61 Church Schools in the early Church 63 Evidence from Art and Architecture 66 Chapter 4. MINISTERIAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING IN THE MEDIEVAL AND VICTORIAN CHURCH 77 Outline for discussion 77 The Norman Conquest 78 The Rise of Monasticism 80 The shape of Professional Ministry 82 The Secular Clergy 84 The formation of Clerical Schools 87 The Franciscan Influence 89 Victorian Church: 91 External Influences 92 Financial Support 93 The rise of the Professional Class 95 The Industrial Revolution 97 Internal Reforms 98 The Emergence of Theological Colleges 99 The formation of Learned Societies 100 The Evangelical Movement 103 4 Table of contents cont The Oxford Movement 103 Pastoral Reorganisation 105 The Christian Socialist Movement 106 Functional Ministry: Role Ascriptions 106 Being in Ministry 107 Thesis definition: 110 Chapter 5. CONTEMPORARY TRAINING FOR THE ORDAINED MINISTRY IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND: THE RESIDENTIAL THEOLOGICAL COLLEGES 117 Theological Education and Training 154 Questions posed by present day programmes 155 Age differentials in clergy education 157 Variable standards within training 158 Introduction of variable qualifications 159 Pastoral/Ministerial Formation 162 Extended variables in student body 164 Spiritual Formation 165 Shared Praxis in Experiential Religious Education 168 Chapter 6. NON-RESIDENTIAL TRAINING FOR THE ORDAINED MINISTRY OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND 173 How the survey was conducted 175 The common features of non-residential training 177 The non-residential training courses 180 Variation in emphasis 205 Prognosis for the future 207 Chapter 7. POST-ORDINATION TRAINING 213 Post-ordination Training in the 19th Century 216 Post-ordination Training in the 20th Century 219 New posts of responsibility 220 Post-ordination Training since the 1960's 221 Modifications in method and structure 222 Disappearance of Training Parishes 223 Prevailing Problems 224 No clear role definition for POT providers 226 Post-ordination training as a "fringe" activity 227 Lack of comprehensiveness 228 Status of the Ordained 228 The future of Post-ordination Training 235 Internal Reforms 238 Post-ordination training in the Diocese of London 245 5 Table of Contents cont Chapter 8. CONTINUING MINISTERIAL EDUCATION IN THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND 268 Continuing Ministerial Education in 1985 278 Continuing Ministerial Education in 1986 282 Developments in 1987 283 1988: House of Bishops Review 287 Continuing Ministerial Appraisal and Assessment 291 National Consultation for CME in 1988 296 Continuing Ministerial Education in the Diocese of London 297 New initiatives in Sabbatical/Study Leave Provision 300 Future developments for the Diocese of London 302 Chapter 9. CONCLUSION: CHALLENGES FOR THE PRESENT AND HOPE FOR THE FUTURE 306 Priesthood Reviewed 307 Procedural Review 309 Summary of Biblical Conclusions 309 Emphases within Biblical forms of Ministry 310 Summary of early Church historical conclusions 313 Summary of Medieval Church investigation 314 Conclusions associated with the Victorian Church316 Contemporary issues of change 317 An integrated approach to Theological Education 318 Pre-ordination Training 321 Post-ordination Training 325 Conclusions for Continuing Ministerial Education326 The future of Holy Orders 328 Syllabus Aims 334 Curriculum Development 336 Curriculum Objectives 336 Teaching Methods 338 The Prevailing Questions 339 Section 10. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 342 Section 11. APPENDICES 343 Section 12. BIBLIOGRAPHY 395 6. List of abbreviations used in the text GS. General Synod of the Church of England papers. ABM. Advisory Board of Ministry (Formerly ACCM.CACTM) ACCM. Advisory Council for the Church's Ministry. CACTM. Central Advisory Committee for the Training of Ministry. POT. Post Ordination Training. CME. Continuing Ministerial Education. ARCIC. Anglican-Roman Catholic International Commission. LIMA. Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry, World Council of Churches Lima Report. 1982. CMEC. Continuing Ministerial Education Committee of ACCM. List of Illustrations p 68. Fig 1. Hermes Criophorus. Museo Barracco, Rome. p 68. Fig 2. Good Shepherd. 3rd Century. p 69. Fig 3. Christ the Good Shepherd. 3rd Century. Vatican Museum. p 70. Fig 4. Good Shepherd. c 269-275. p 70. Fig 5. Sarcophogus. 3rd Century. p 71. Fig 6. Philosopher. 3rd Century. p 71. Fig 7. Christ the Supreme Educator. 4th Century. p 72. Fig 8. Bishop's cathedra & Prebystery. 6th Cent. 7 Chapter 1. INTRODUCTION : AN ORDERED MINISTRY. Time for a Change: The Principal of Salisbury and Wells Theological College, Philip Crowe, writing in the Church Times during 1991 made some interesting if speculative predictions about the future of the parochial ministry of the Church of England. He envisaged that within the next ten years, that is by the end of this century, the Church of England could have an ordained priest resident in every parish in the country, serving as a member of a team devoted to mission and ministry. At first sight there may not appear to be anything particularly dramatic about this prospect. It has been a characteristic of the parochial ministry of the Church of England for centuries that every blade of grass in the country falls within a parish which has a resident priest. Unlike other denominations, the church of England has structured itself on the basis that it serves the people of England regardless of any faith or none and all who live within a parish have an incumbent. The Church of England does not make provision for its own adherents, but provides each parish with a Parson - a person who will care not only for his own religious community, but all who reside within his parochial cure. Embodied within the provisions of the Church of England are rights which are given to parochial residents who can lay claim to have their children baptised and married within their parish church; besides the opportunity to exercise voting rights by which they can participate in the election of the Parochial Church Council given that qualifying terms are met. 8 What makes Philip Crowe's observations interesting is that they bring a glimpse of hope to a situation which is on the point of general collapse. Already the parochial system has broken down in rural areas where the Church of England has now got one priest serving many former parishes. The indications are that this disposition is beginning to be manifested in the more heavily populated areas of the urban Dioceses. The notion of a small geographical parish with a manageable population served by a full-time, stipendiary and confident Vicar or Rector is rapidly disappearing into the confines of folk memory.